Tub having a water inlet provided with a vacuum breaker



March 25, 1947. MW, BOWEN. 2,417,908

TUB HAVING A WATER INLET PROVIDED WITH A VACUUM BREAKER Filed May 1,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l I VENTOR wran Wall/672 BY :1: a. SEQM March 25,1947. I w BOWEN 2,417,908

TUB HAVING A WATER INLET PROVIDED WITH A VACUUM BREAKER Filed May 1,1943 2 Shets-Sheet 2 BY Y ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25 1947 TUB HAVING AWATER INLET PROVIDED WITH A VACUUM BREAKER Myron W. Bowen, Niles,Micl1., assignor to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., South Bend, Ind., acorporation of Delaware Application May 1, 1943, Serial No. 485,563

8 Claims. (01. 68-58) This invention relates to a water inlet forautomatic washing machines and is intended to supply a water inlet withvacuum breaker features, preventing the return of dirty water or otherfluid into a water supply system in case of drop in pressure. Thearrangement illustrated is intended for use in the inlet water system ofa washing machine,

It sometimes happens that there is a suflicient drop in pressure in awater supply system to cause dirty water or other fluids to be pulledinto the system if an outlet is sufficiently close. In many cities,ordinances have been passed with mandatory provisions requiring that apositive vacuum breaker be employed where a water outlet is sopositioned as to feed water where .there might be danger of returningdirty water to the system. The provisions of such ordinances aresometimes applied, in the interest of safety, when the possibility ofany return of water to the system is very remote, thus placing a burdenon manufacturers to provide positive vacuum breaker equipment.

It has been common practice to provide a water inlet for an automaticwashing machine of the type shown herein about midway the height of thetub and adjacent the door; and as shown in Patent No. 2,211,459 issuedto Francis M. Dawson on August 13, 1940, a so-called vacuum breaker maybe installed which makes it entirely safe to place the water inlet atthe center of the tub, as above stated. Although this type of vacuumbreaker is entirely satisfactory in that it performs the function ofbreaking the suction and prevents siphoning or return of water to thesupply system, it adds several parts to the machine and requires specialinstallation as an additional unit.

The positioning of the water inlet near the center of the tub andadjacent the center opening in'the cylinder makes possible what isgenerally termed a spray rinse," the incoming water being sprayed tocontact the clothes directly on entry. The so-called deep water rinse,wherein the water rises from below to cover the clothes, is in somerespects preferred. However, an inlet to the bottom of the tub toaccomplish this result would add still more complications from thestandpoint of vacuum breaker requirements.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide awater inlet and vacuum breaker unit particularly adapted for use with awashing machine and applicable, when so used, to produce a so-calleddeep rinse," where incoming water does not contact the clothes directlyon entry.

It is a further object to provide a water inlet and vacuum breaker unitof a construction which forms a part of the tub structure and requiresfew additional parts in manufacture.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully fromthe following more detailed description and by reference to the drawingsforming a part hereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, of a washing machine with thewater inlet attached thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the portion of the top of themachine where the water inlet unit is attached;

Figure 3 is a, cross-section through the top portion of the tub andthrough the water inlet unit, the section being taken longitudinally ofthe horizontally-mounted tub; and

Figur 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, there is shownan automatic washing machine of the horizontal-cylinder type, themachine, as far as general principles of operation except as to waterinlet, being substantially like that shown in Chamberlin et a1. PatentNo. 2,165,- 884 issued July 11, 1939, and in Dodge Patent No. 2,173,603issued September 19, 1939.

In Figure 1, a tub III has a cylinder ll mounted for rotation therein,the cylinder being driven from the rear of the tub [0 through a pulleyl2 and a belt I3 from a source of power located in the base of themachine and not shown in the drawings. The cylinder II is perforatedaround its circumference as shown and has a central opening M at thefront thereof, a door 15 being provided at the front of the tub IB-adjacent the central opening 14. Articles to be washed are placed insidethe cylinder H, the tub l0 containing water and soap, and the cylinderis \rotated first at a speed suitable for washing the clothes and laterin the cycle of operations, all as more fully described in theabove-referred-to patents, th cylinder is subsequently rotated at ahigher speed as a centrifuge for the purpose of removing water. Themachine is so constructed as to automatically proceed through a cycle ofoperations including the addition of water to the tub for washing andrinsing and the draining of water therefrom.

For the purpose of adding water, the construction hereindisclosedemploys a water inlet unit designated generally by the numeral It at thetop portion of the tub M, as shown in Figure 1. A tube I1 is employed,which is shown secured to a. hose I8, the end Ila of the tube I! beingsuitably fastened by a clip I9. A member providing adownwardly-extending lip 20 is secured by welding or other means, to theinner side or the tub wall at the top of the horizontally-positioned tubto form an inwardly-extending portion providing a tangential entry intothe top of the tub, and an upwardly-and-outwardlyextending lip 2| isformed as an integral part of the top wall of the tub. The lip 2| isbent or struck outwardly and away from the tub wall and is arcuate intransverse cross-section and is disposed in such relation to the lip 20so as to confront or partially overlap the same, all as shown in Figures1 and 4.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged cross-section similar to that shown in Figure1, and the several parts above referred to are also shown thereon inmore detail. Adjacent the overlapping lip members 20 and 2| a soap door22 is positioned in a cover member 23, which cover has an extension 24(seen best in Figure 3) covering both the overlapping lip portions 20and 2| and the tube IT. The tube I! is positioned by the clip I 9 adistance away from lip 2| so that its direction of outlet will directthe water under the outwardly-extending lip 2| and between the lips 20and 2|, thus injecting the water into the top of the tub. Theoverlapping of the two lip members 20 and 2| provides a suflicientlyefi'ective closure together with the cover 23 which has side openings230;, thus allowing the space or gap between the end of the tube l1 andthe edge of the lip 2| to be subjected to atmospheric pressure.Therefore, water flowing into the top of the tub through the outlet tubel1 and the inlet formed by the lips 2p and 2| will be required to jumpthe gap between the end of the tube and the edge of lip 2|, and if thereis a momentary drop in pressure in the supply system there can be nosiphoning of water back from the tub, since the outlet end of the tubeI7 is well above any possible water level and there will be an immediatediscontinuance of flow in case water stops flowing from the tube, itbeing impossible because of the gap to create a. reversal of flow fromthe machine.

The foregoing statements are true even though the tub be assumed asfull, since it will overflow on the outside tub wall through theopenings 23a. The lower edge Ila of tube I! is preferably one inch ormore above the wall of the tub at its highest point. The discharge intothe top of the machine is well above the perforated cylinder II anddefinitely not directed perpendicular to the cylinder but in a generallytangential direction relative thereto and at an acute angle with the tubwall and the surface of the clothes cylinder; and it is also importantthat the direction of this flow is directly under the soap door 22, thusproviding water to clear the soap and carry it down into the machinewith the water. The overlapping of the two lips 20 and 2| provides asatisfactory closure above the rotating cylinder and efiectivelyprevents any back-flow of water induced by cylinder rotation out the topof the tub.

With this arrangement of water inlet, the siphoning of water back intothe system is positively safeguarded in a manner which will satisfy themost rigid of requirements. Also, because of the fact that the incomingwater, although directed from the highest point in the tub, is notdirected onto the clothes in the cyloutside the cylinder, the result isa so-called ,deep water rinse, as distinguished from a "spray rinse.

The top view of Figure 2and the cross-section of Figure 4 show thegeneral construction and arrangement of the several parts. It will bepossible to provide several variations in construction, particularlywith reference to the possibility of forming either the lip 20 or 2| asan integral part of the tub itself, and such modification iscontemplated. In general, although I have described the invention asapplied to a specific installation, it is understood that variousmodifications may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine of the type having a substantially cylindricaltub positioned with its cylindrical walland axis in a generallyhorizontal direction with a rotatable clothes cylinder mounted thereinand surrounded by said tub wall, a water inlet for said tub having avacuum breaker to prevent reverse flow of water from said tub, saidvacuum breaker comprising a lower inwardly and downwardly extending lipunder an opening in the wall at the top of said tub and positioned tospray water toward the central p rtion of said rotatable clothescylinder, an upper outwardly and upwardly extending lip overlapping saidinwardly and downwardly extending lip and oppositely positioned relativethereto and substantially parallel therewith, and a water tube having anoutlet end thereof spaced above the wall of said tub and spaced fromsaid outwardly and upwardly extending lip to form a gap but positionedto direct a stream of water across said gap under said outwardly andupwardly extending lip and over said inwardly and downwardly extendinglip and onto the central portion of said rotatable clothes cylinder.

2. In a washing machine of the type having a substantially cylindricaltub positioned with its cylindrical wall and axis in a generallyhorizontal direction with a rotatable clothes cylinder mounted thereinand surrounded by said tub wall and a soap inlet in the wall of said tubabove the central portion of said rotatable clothes cylinder, a waterinlet for said tub having a vacuum breaker to prevent reverse flow ofwater from said tub, said vacuum breaker comprising a lower inwardly anddownwardly extending lip under an opening in the wall at the top of saidtub adjacent said soap inlet and positioned to discharge water towardthe central portion of said rotatable clothes cylinder and under saidsoap inlet, an upper outwardly and upwardly extending lip overlappingsaid inwardly and downwardly extending lip and oppositely positionedrelativethereto and substantially parallel therewith, and a water tubehaving an outlet end thereof spaced above said tub wall and spaced fromsaid outwardly and upwardly extending lip to form a gap but positionedto direct a stream of water across said gap under said outwardly andupwardly extending lip and over said inwardly and downwardly extendinglip and under said soap inlet and onto the central portion of saidrotatable clothes cylinder.

3. A water inlet for the wall of a tub providing vacuum breaker featuresto prevent reverse flow of water from said tub comprising inwardlyandoutwardly-disposed overlapping lip portions in said tub wall to providea water entry passageway directed through the wall of said tub at anacute angle with the said tub wall, and a. water tube having an outletend spaced a distance outside said wall to form a gap between theentrance of said passageway and said outlet end of said tube butpositioned to direct a stream of water across said gap and under saidoutwardly disposed lip and into said tub.

4. In combination with a washing machine having a rotatable member and atub with a wall spaced from and surrounding said rotatable member and asoap inlet in the wall of said tub, a water inlet for said tub designedto prevent reverse flow of water from said tub comprising a lowerinwardly and downwardly extending lip under an opening in the wall ofsaid tub adjacent said soap inlet and positioned to discharge waterunder said soap inlet, and outwardly and upwardly extending upper lipoverlapping said inwardly and downwardly extending lip and oppositelypositioned relative thereto and substantially parallel therewith, and awater tube having an outlet end thereof spaced outwardly from said tubwall and spaced from said outwardly and upwardly extending lip to form agap but positioned to direct a stream of water across said gap undersaid outwardly and upwardly extending lip and over said inwardly anddownwardly extending lip and under said soap inlet and into said tub.

5. A tub having water inlet means providing a vacuum breaker to preventreverse flow of water from said tub, comprising: a wall of said tubprovided with an integral lip struck outwardly therefrom and includingan edge spaced from the plane of said wall to provide a water entryopening through said wall, a. member on the inner .a

side of said wall confronting said lip and extending inwardly and awayfrom said wall and cooperating with said lip to provide a passagewayextending through said wall at an acute angle, and a water supply tubehaving an outlet end on the outer side of said wall and paced from theentrance of said passageway to form an air gap between the entrance ofsaid passageway and said outlet end of said water supply tube, saidoutlet end of said water supply tube being positioned to direct a streamof water across said air gap and into said passageway.

6. A tub having water inlet means providing a vacuum breaker to preventreverse flow of water from said tub, comprising: a wall of said tubprovided with a lip member extending outwardly and away therefrom anddisposed wholly on the outer side thereof and terminating at one end inthe plane 01 said wall and having an edge at its opposite end spacedfrom the plane of said wall to provide a water entry opening, and anoppositely disposed member extending inwardly and away from said wall inconfronting relation to said lip member and disposed wholly on the innerside or said wall and terminating at one end in the plane of said walland having an edge at its opposite end spaced from the plane or saidwall to provide a water discharge opening, said members and wall beingarranged to provide a passageway extending through said wall at an acuteangle to the plane or said wall, and a water supply tube having anoutlet end on the outer side of said wall and spaced from the entryopening 01' said passageway to form an air gap between said entryopening and said outlet end 01 said water supply tube, said outlet endor said water supply tube being positioned to direct a stream of wateracross said air gap into said passageway.

7. A tub having water inlet means providing a vacuum breaker to preventreverse flow of water from said tub, comprising: a wall of said tub;means providing a water inlet passageway extending diagonally throughsaid wall, said means including a portion disposed wholly on the outerside of said wall and extending outwardly and away with respect to theplane of said wall in one direction, said portion originating substan-.tially in the plane of said wall and having an edge remote from itspoint of origin positioned transverse to said wall and defining a waterentry o ening for said passageway, and another portion overlapping withsaid first-mentioned portion disposed wholly on the inner side of saidwall and extending inwardly and away with respect to the plane of saidwall in the opposite direction, said other portion originatingsubstantially in the plane of said wall and having an edge remote fromits point of origin defining a water discharge opening for saidpassageway; and a water supply tube having an outlet end on the outerside of said wall terminating in spaced relation above said water entryopening to form an air gap between said water entry opening and saidoutlet end of said water supply tube, said outlet end of said watersupply tube being positioned to direct a stream of water across said airgap into said passageway.

8. In a, washing machine of the type having a tub containing a clothesreceptacle movable about a transverse axis in said tub, water inletmeans for said tub providing a vacuum breaker to prevent reverse flow ofwater from said tub, comprising: inwardly and outwardly xtendingoverlapping lip portions in a wall of said tub in a plane above the axisof said receptacle, said lip portions being substantially parallel andspaced apart longitudinally to provide a water entry passageway directedthrough said tub wall at an acute angle with respect to the generalplane of said tub wall; and a water supply tube having an outlet end onthe outer side of said tub wall spaced from said lip portions to form anair gap between the entrance of said passageway and said outlet end ofsaid water supply tube, said outlet end of said water supply tube beingpositioned to direct a stream of water across said air gap and into saidpassageway.

MYRON W. BOWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

